As expected, LeBron James of the Miami Heat led the way in the voting for the NBA All-Defensive First-Team with 24 first-time votes out of 30 head coaches in the league.

Along with LeBron winning the NBA MVP award for the third time in four years, the league’s best player also received some much needed recognition for his skills on the defensive end of the floor. With the distinction of being a solid threat defensively, LeBron will be hoping to win an elusive NBA title at season’s end.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Serge ibaka and Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies were named to the Defensive First-Team for the first time in their careers. The selections of these two up-and-comers will probably be the first of many with these two players and their teams on the rise in the NBA.

Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers also got some much needed recognition this season as an NBA MVP finalist and being selected as one of the best defenders in the league.

Two big-names that failed to make this list this season was five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks. Bryant’s exclusion wasn’t a big surprise with Allen taking his place, but not naming Chandler to the first-team after he won the Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t make any sense.

NBA All-Defensive First-Team

Guards: Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers; Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies

Forwards: LeBron James, Miami Heat; Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder

Center: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

NBA All-Defensive Second-Team

Guards: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers; Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

Forwards: Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics; Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls

Center: Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks

Related News

• Kobe Bryant and LeBron James lead All-NBA First-Team
• NBA Playoffs: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies Game 3
• Dwight Howard may win yet another Defensive Player of the Year award
• Team USA cuts roster by four
• NBA Power Rankings: Grizzlies Stay Hot